


Honesty

by flooj9235



Category: Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-24
Updated: 2016-01-24
Packaged: 2018-05-15 23:48:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5805091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flooj9235/pseuds/flooj9235
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After another fight out in the wasteland, Veronica's a little scuffed up again.  Cass is there to help bandage her up, just like always, but there's something she's not saying.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Honesty

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally going to be part of something else, but it ended up going in a bit of a different direction. I still like it, though, so here it is. Enjoy!

"This'd go faster if you'd just relax."

Veronica sucked at her teeth and uncurled her hand, hissing a little as the wounds across her knuckles stretched.

Cass nodded approvingly and set to work with the antiseptic and gauze.  She dribbled some alcohol on the gashes on Veronica's hand, holding the scribe's wrist tightly when Veronica tried to jerk away.

“I swear you’re just doing this for fun,” the scribe muttered.

“If I liked playin’ nurse, don’tcha think I woulda joined the Followers ages ago?”

Veronica snorted. “Fair point.”

The stinging eased when Cass blew on the wounds, and Veronica watched the redhead carefully wind the gauze around her hand.  

Cass tied a small knot in the gauze and smoothed it over Veronica's knuckles gently.  A smile quirked the corner of her mouth and she looked up at Veronica. “Y'know, as often as you get banged up, I'd almost swear you're just doin’ this for fun.”

Veronica rolled her eyes and gave the redhead a playful shove, then softened. “Thanks.” She flexed her injured hand experimentally and offered Cass a grateful smile.

The cowgirl nodded and set about cleaning up the first aid supplies. She glanced up when Veronica threw a few punches to test her hands, shaking her head. “Was kinda hopin’ you'd give that a rest for a while and stick to your ten mil or something.”

Veronica laughed. “Why? I'll be good as new in a day or two.”

Cass stared down at the first aid kit, then shut it and huffed. “Yeah, an’ then I get to patch you up all over again.”

There was something sharp in the cowgirl’s tone, jarring enough to make Veronica pause.  She turned and watched Cass set the kit aside, frowning a little.  “I can get Six to help if you hate playing nurse that much,” the scribe offered uncertainly.

Cass shook her head and sat still for a moment, then got up and put the kit away.  Her jaw worked, and she rubbed at her face.  “That ain’t…  I don’t mind that,” she said slowly.

“Then what’s the problem?” Veronica snapped. She had tried her best not to, but Cass’ cagey behavior set her on edge.

The redhead grappled for words, and she avoided making eye contact.  “I just…  I don’t get why you always wanna run out right in the thick’a things and punch a few people when you could be back somewhere with a gun…”  Cass’ brow furrowed and she gave Veronica a helpless look.

“I don’t _want_ to use a gun.”  Veronica flexed her hands, feeling the gauze tighten around her injured knuckles.  “I like being out there.  It’s exciting.”

“It’s dangerous!” Cass countered, glaring at the brunette.

“Maybe that’s why I like it.”  Veronica returned Cass’ scowl for a few seconds, then closed her eyes and counted to ten.  “Not—that sounded better in my head.  Look, I just…  I like close combat, okay?  I like being able to be up close and personal and punch someone’s lights out. I feel like a badass.”

“You can be a badass from ten yards back,” Cass protested.  “Hell, lookit Boone. Guy drops Legion like it’s nothin’.”

“I don’t want to be ten yards back.”  The brunette kept her voice as level as possible, trying her best to not to start anything. “I don’t really trust myself with a gun, Cass.  We both know I’m good with a power fist. Why are we even fighting about this?”

Cass exhaled slowly and seemed to deflate a little.  The anger in her face gave way to a vaguely miserable expression, and she reached for Veronica’s hands.  She wound their fingers together and studied the contrast of their skin for a few moments.  Her thumb toyed with the gauze around Veronica’s hand and she nodded to herself, giving the scribe’s fingers a gentle squeeze.  “I don’t want you gettin’ hurt.”

Veronica gave the gauze around her hand a pointed glance and smiled.

Cass rolled her eyes.  “I mean bad.  What’m I s’posed to do if I’m a ways back and you get hurt, an’ I can’t get to you in time?” Her voice caught and Cass dropped her gaze to their entwined hands again, struggling to rein in her emotions.

“Oh.”  The scribe cursed herself for not being able to see Cass’ anger as what it was:  fear.  She tugged the redhead closer and pulled her into a hug.  “You can’t protect me from everything, Cass.”

The cowgirl sighed and looped her arms around Veronica’s waist. “Doesn’t mean I don’t wish I could.”

Veronica gave the redhead a gentle squeeze and held onto her for a few moments.  Everything she thought of to say felt wrong, so she settled for pressing a kiss to the side of Cass’ head and hugging her closer.

Cass let herself be comforted for a while, then pulled away with a weak smile.  “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize for caring.” Veronica studied the redhead for a moment, a fond smile growing on her face. “Who knew such a tough cowgirl could have such a big heart?”

The cowgirl made a face, but her cheeks grew faintly pink.  “Shut up,” she muttered before leaning over and pressing a quick kiss to Veronica's cheek. “Love you.”

The words were soft, spoken like they were precious, and Veronica's chest swelled with affection. “I love you too,” she murmured.

Cass nodded and caught the scribe's hand once more. “Try an’ hold off on gettin’ banged up for a while, okay?”

“Are you gonna keep on being my nurse?” When Cass nodded, Veronica grinned. “Then no promises.”

Cass rolled her eyes and brushed a kiss across the scribe's bandaged knuckles.


End file.
